On a night when the Colorado Rapids had the majority of the scoring chances, FC Dallas managed to become the first MLS team to reach double digits in wins with a 3-1 victory Saturday at Invesco Field at Mile High.
First-half goals from Aaron Pitchkolan of FC Dallas and the Rapids' Luchi Gonzalez left the teams level until FC Dallas scored twice in the final five minutes through Bobby Rhine and substitute Abe Thompson to sneak away with the three points.
The visitors took the lead on an odd play in the 13th minute -- something that would have omens for the future. A ball played over the top looked to be easily played by defender Mike Petke, but his clearance deflected off of his own arm right into the path of Pitchkolan, whose one-time chip caught Rapids 'keeper Joe Cannon charging out. Cannon could do nothing but watch as the ball sailed into the net.
The Rapids nearly answered in the 15th minute off of a corner kick. Alain Nkong was completely unmarked, but his header skied over the bar. The Rapids then had another great chance soon after as some fancy footwork from Jeff Cunningham caused the Dallas defense to converge on him at the top of the box and left Jean Philippe Peguero free to receive Cunningham's pinpoint pass, but with only 'keeper Scott Garlick to beat, however, Peguero got his feet caught up and tripped over the ball.
Although FC Dallas controlled most of the possession, the Rapids continued to get the better scoring chances. In the 26th minute, Cunningham took the ball down almost to the goal line. His cross was dangerously poked by Simo Valakari back toward his own net, but Garlick was there to make the save.
The Rapids attacks paid off in the 30th minute. Nkong played a ball on the wing to Peguero who quickly passed the ball back to Cunningham. Cunningham's low shot bounced off of both posts before Gonzalez hustled in and finally put the ball over the line to tie the game.
Eric Denton started a wild few minutes when he had yet another Rapids scoring chance in the 34th minute. His 40-yard free kick looked like it had beaten Garlick, but the ball went just over the bar.
Immediately off the subsequent goal kick, Dallas nearly retook the lead. Arturo Alvarez took the ball down the line and crossed in to an onrushing Rhine, but Nat Borchers was able to slide in and deflect the ball out to Alvarez, whose subsequent shot was blocked by Petke and cleared out.
As the Rapids quickly counterattacked, Cunningham was sprung free into the box on a great pass by Gonzalez. As Cunningham prepared to shoot, however, Clarence Goodson slid in front and Cunningham was unable to chip the ball over him.
Another defensive miscue nearly cost the Rapids in the 41st minute. Borchers was unable to get much behind his header which fell straight to Roberto Mina, but his shot from 10 yards out hit the side of the net.
The Rapids came out firing in the second half, and nearly took the lead in the 53rd minute. A great long pass from Eric Denton went to an unmarked Kyle Beckerman at the top of the box. Garlick did well, however, to cut off the angle and parried Beckerman's shot out for a corner kick.
Dallas was beginning to reassert itself on offense. Ronnie O'Brien took one of his patented long-range shots in the 57th minute, but Cannon did well to make the diving save.
The Rapids, however, remained dangerous on the counterattack as Cunningham nearly added to his MLS-leading goal scoring tally in the 64th minute. A pass from Peguero just past midfield allowed Cunningham to use his speed to jet past the Dallas defense, but his hard shot from the right side of the box went just past the far post.
Mina nearly broke the deadlock in the 72nd minute. His header of off a Chris Gbandi cross caromed off of the crossbar and was cleared out for a corner. The resulting set-piece was headed just over the bar by Goodson. O'Brien then went close in the 81st minute after storming through midfield, but his hard shot flashed across the face of goal and out.
The winning goal capped a pretty Dallas offensive sequence in the 85th minute. Pitchkolan did well to let O'Brien's cross run past him in the box to a wide open Rhine. His shot deflected off of Beckerman and spun crazily past Cannon and just into the far side of the net.
The final nail in the coffin for the Rapids came in the 88th minute. Rookie Thompson dribbled past Petke's wild lunge and found himself alone with only Cannon to beat. Thompson coolly slotted the ball past Cannon for his third goal on the season.
MLSnet.com Man of the Match: Aaron Pitchkolan (FC Dallas)
Geoffrey Urland is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
FC Dallas (9-2-3) vs. Colorado Rapids (4-8-2)
June 25, 2005 -- Invesco Field at Mile High
Scoring Summary:
DAL -- Aaron Pitchkolan 2 (unassisted) 13
COL -- Luchi Gonzalez 2 (unassisted) 30
DAL -- Bobby Rhine 1 (Ronnie O'Brien 6) 85
DAL -- Abe Thompson 3 (unassisted) 88
FC Dallas -- Scott Garlick, Drew Moor, Clarence Goodson, Greg Vanney, Chris Gbandi, Aaron Pitchkolan, Ronnie O'Brien, Simo Valakari, Arturo Alvarez (Oscar Pareja 76), Bobby Rhine (David Wagenfuhr 85), Roberto Mina (Abe Thompson 80).
Substitutes Not Used: Jeff Cassar, Carey Talley.
TOTAL SHOTS: 11 (Ronnie O'Brien 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Ronnie O'Brien 2); FOULS: 15 (Bobby Rhine 3); OFFSIDES: 1 (Abe Thompson 1); CORNER KICKS: 2 (Ronnie O'Brien 2); SAVES: 2 (Scott Garlick 2)
Colorado Rapids -- Joe Cannon, Ricky Lewis, Nat Borchers, Mike Petke, Eric Denton (Wolde Harris 86), Alain Nkong, Kyle Beckerman, Pablo Mastroeni (Leo Cullen 69), Luchi Gonzalez, Jean Philippe Peguero, Jeff Cunningham.
Substitutes Not Used: Byron Foss, Hunter Freeman, Dan Gargan, Sasha Gotsmanov, Ritchie Kotschau, Amir Lowery, Guy Melamed.
TOTAL SHOTS: 13 (Eric Denton 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (3 tied with 1); FOULS: 9 (Kyle Beckerman 4); OFFSIDES: 2 (Jeff Cunningham 1, Jean Philippe Peguero 1); CORNER KICKS: 4 (Eric Denton 3); SAVES: 2 (Joe Cannon 2)
Misconduct Summary:
COL -- Pablo Mastroeni (caution; Reckless Foul) 20
Referee: Kevin Stott
Referee's Assistants: -Thomas Supple; Jose Corro
4th Official: Scott McCaslin
Weather: Sunny-and-79-degrees
Attendance: 9,208
All Statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial.
